The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a body support structure and a plurality of body parts which can be fixed to the body support structure, and to an assembly template for the motor vehicle.
This application is based on German Patent Application No. 196 03 102.8 filed in Germany on Jan. 29, 1996 and German Patent Application No. 196 54 446.7 filed in Germany on Dec. 27, 1996.
It is known from German Patent Document DE 43 21 752 C1 to fasten a body part in the form of a vehicle door by means of a hinge arrangement on a B-pillar of a body support structure of a motor vehicle. Body parts adjoining such a vehicle door, such as front or rear fenders, may under certain circumstances be fastened to the body support structure such that the various body parts are not aligned exactly with respect to one another and, because of different gap tolerances between mutually adjacent body parts, a nonuniform overall appearance of the body shell is formed.
German Patent Document DE 41 15 755 A1 discloses a motor vehicle, the bumper of which can be fixed on the vehicle body by means of an adjustable mount, in order to avoid damaging the body when mounting the bumper. To this end, the mount has a guide part which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and interacts with a slide part arranged on the bumper. After mounting the bumper, the guide part can be moved in the displacement direction running in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, as a result of which the bumper can be slid directly onto the adjacent edge of the body.
An object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset which is provided with an evenly and uniformly arranged body panel.
This object is achieved in that, in a region between at least two mutually adjacent body parts, an assembly template is connected to the body support structure, the assembly template having at least one adjustment edge, against which at least one adjacent body part can be aligned. The solution according to the invention makes it possible to align mutually adjacent body parts uniformly and thus also to adapt the mounting positions of bumpers and headlamps accordingly. This therefore always results in an identical gap dimension and thus also identically running joints and beads between the individual, mutually adjacent body parts. Moreover, it is possible to achieve a gap dimension of the same dimension between all the mutually adjacent body parts. Readjustments of movable body parts, such as vehicle doors, rear lids, or tailgates, are unnecessary, since the movable body parts are already adjusted appropriately during assembly on the body support structure.
In a refinement of the invention, the assembly template has positioning receptacles, by means of which the assembly template can be placed on corresponding centering elements on hinges, fixed on the support-structure side, of a pivotably movable body part of the motor vehicle and can be centered relative to the hinges. As a result, the hinges form a template for the assembly template, so that exact alignment of the assembly template relative to the body support structure becomes possible. In particular, side doors are envisaged as the pivotably movable body parts. However, tailgates, bonnets, and other pivoting parts may also serve as corresponding body parts.
In a further refinement of the invention, at least one centering pin protruding outwards at right angles is provided on each hinge as the centering element, and correspondingly open sockets are provided in the assembly template. As a result, when putting on the assembly template an exact alignment relative to the hinges is already achieved. The alignment by means of the centering pins and the sockets in particular ensures precise positioning in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
In a further refinement of the invention, a support edge for a support of the assembly template is provided on a hinge in the vertical direction of the vehicle, against which support edge a support stop of the assembly template is supported. The support edge and the support stop provide alignment and support in the vertical direction of the vehicle relative to the body support structure.
In a further refinement of the invention, the assembly template can be fixed on the body support structure by means of a plurality of fastening points distributed over the length of the said template. Corresponding fastening elements thus fix the assembly template in the respectively aligned end position, the fixing simultaneously ensuring that the assembly template is secured relative to the body support structure in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
In a further refinement of the invention, the assembly template has at least one latching location for joining an adjacent body part by means of a latching connection. As a result, it is possible to fix an adjacent body part at least partially without additional fastening elements.
In a further refinement of the invention, the assembly template can be fastened at fastening points of door hinges of a side door of the motor vehicle. As a result, already existing fastening points are provided in a simple manner for fastening the assembly template.
In a further refinement of the invention, the assembly template can be fastened at the fastening points with the aid of the fastening elements for the door hinges on the body support structure. As a result, no additional fastening elements are required to fasten the assembly template, since the assembly template is fastened to the body support structure in a simple manner together with the door hinges.
In a further refinement of the invention, the assembly template is provided with fixing elements for fastening at least one adjacent body part. As a result, the assembly template has a double function, in that it serves, on the one hand, for alignment and, on the other hand, for fastening adjacent body parts or components.
In a further refinement of the invention, the fixing elements have guides for sliding on the at least one adjacent body part. By means of these guides, a defined assembly direction, which permits exact assembly relative to the assembly template, is already predetermined for the adjacent body part.
In a further refinement of the invention, latching locations for securing the at least one body part in a positively-locking manner in the slid-on end position are assigned to the fixing elements. As a result, the at least one body part to be slid on is already fixed sufficiently on the body support structure without using additional fastening means. Preferably, the body part is supported in its slid-on end position against the adjustment edge of the assembly template.
In a further refinement of the invention, the assembly template is produced as a single component made of plastic. As a result, the assembly template can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner and in large quantities.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.